Schumacher delivers assessment of F1 rookie, calls for patience

Speaking to BILD about the 18-year-old Mercedes rookie, Schumacher noted that Antonelli was expected to impress not only his team but also the wider sport. While many have already labelled him a future world champion, opinions remain divided.

Antonelli himself talked about his struggles openly ahead of the Hungarian GP, where he finished in P10. In his last eight races, he has scored points on only two occasions — a standout podium finish (P3) in Canada and a P10 in Hungary — despite starting the season strongly. "I believe Kimi is a strong driver, but he just needs time," is the verdict of the former F1 driver

Schumacher continues: "He has gone through the junior classes very quickly and therefore has relatively little experience. When everything is okay, he is fast, but the car is clearly too difficult for him. I would certainly not call him the next Max Verstappen."

The comparison to Verstappen is natural, given both drivers’ rapid rise to Formula 1. Antonelli’s season has not been straightforward so far. Talking to GPblog among a small group of media, team representative Bradley Lord also talked about the Italian's season so far as well.